Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-03-11
9ROPICAL Fruits.
ny !. n. Wright.

THE CocoANuT- PAINTS USEFULNESS To
THE NATIVE OF THE TRoTCs-FRoM NUT
TO rREE-THE CoCoANUT AS FOOD.
The cocoanut palm is perhaps originally a
native of India and the South Sea Islands.
1t is "a very beautiful and lofty tree, grow
ing to a height of from 30 to 20 feet, with
a cylindrical stem but rarely exceeding Is
inches at the base The tree terminates in
a crown of graceful, waving pinnate leaves.
1t is IA saltwater loving tree, and attains It's
greatest luxuriance and vigor along the
sandy shores and reefs close to the sea- the
ocean watering its roots. The fruit consists
of thick external hlsk of ibrous struc
ture, within which is the cocoanut of com
merce The nut has IA very hard, woody
shell enclosing the nucleus or kernel, with
in which again i, a liquid called rocnanut
milk The cocnanut is AN important prod
uct of almost every tropical land ON the
face Of the globe. The adventure and On
terprise of commerce have favored its dis
trihution. hut il does not require ships TO
carry it to other lands. The husk covered
nut falls into the sea from trees growing ON
the shore, and, drifting in ocean currents
for months, it may be- is finally cast up on
distant coasts, where it takes root and flour
ishes The thick husk is remarkably adapt
ed to the preservation of the seed while the
nut is tossed about by the waves.
The cocoanut palm is sensitive II the
slightest frost. and will not mature with any
degree of certainty north of the eth degree
of latitude The trees have grown in south
crn Florida for many years, aud they can
be raised for several hundred miles along
the coast. where the Gulf Stream, that great
distributor of tropical warmth, flows close
to il, shores. In lSS3 over 20O, 900 nuts
were planted in one district of few thous
and acres, and in few years we are likely
to see Florida cocoanuts in our markets
This new industry will add one more to the
many resources brought to light by energy
and capital in that portion of our country
favored with perpetual spring.
As the cocnanut comes into our markets
simply rs II luxury, it, real value to the
human race is but little understood 1t
forms almost the entire sustenance and sup
plies most of the necessities of the many
races of the tropics. who use every portion
of the tree and nut From the tree they
+ build their huts matching them with the
leaves. Canoes are built of the pliabe
planks, which, when grooved and bored, are
stitched together with coir-twine they are
masted with slender young palm and pro
! n 1. al
Of the nut furnishes their food and oil; they
make their garments and twist their ropes
cor1age and fishing lines from the fibre
forming the husk of the nut; they disti
liquors and make their medicine from the
milk they make their household utensil,
| and carve ornamental trinkets from the
she'll The South Sea Islanders, we are in
formed by those who have been among
them make books out Of the leaf strips sim
liar to the papyrus Of the ancient Egyptians
When the nuts are wanted for planting
they are picked from the ground they
fall from the tree, where they have huns
for about II months in ripening, and place.
in heaps or under sheds until the sprou
shows through the husks This precautioI
is taken in order that blind nuts, or thos,
which will not sprout, may not he planted
in which case much time would he lost il
starting the "Cocoanut Walks, as the or
char,ls are called 1t is fact not general
" known or noted that majority of I'll,
nuts drop at night, which probably account
for the small loss of life by cocoanuts fall
ing upon the heads of the natives. TIN
action Of the heavy dew at night loosen
the seal with which nature has provided tn
nut. and allows it to fall. In planting, tn
nut is placed in a hole three feet deep an,
covered with about one foot of soil, the hol
being filled as the sprout grows until
reaches the surface, when it is left to itself
requiring no further attention. Should til
place where the nut is planted be any grea
distance from the sea shore, IA quantity q
salt is placed in the hole; it will grow luxu
riantly, however, but short distance fror
the shore. nearness to salt water being al
solutely essential to its welfare. a curiou
story is told by gentleman who resided 70
some years in the tropics He planted
cocoanut behind board fence some distanc
from the sea. The tree grew perfect
straight until if reacbed the ton of tn
f.nce when il bepan 10 grow toward tn
ocaap leopin,, "A foot ar more then a she
yeas Lnilt o,,it. n,or the fence but sever,
foot b;,,b., and tho tra. amin grew straiol
until III. roof of the she'd was reached whe
i a,,,;,, lao,.l toward Tin. sso In fact II
,,,,',,,.t =. ,r,,.,. T., the mole tbop Is the q,
ooa,,,,, -t,e. IN tb. ocsan for when the RI,
Id. +l,,,,,,,h IT, bnsL Il ,,;nts lirectIv
IN. Sea M matter what the position of II
,,,,t ,,.l..,, ,,l,c.d in the oround
re ,,,., .ho,Id exo,nine 81 cocoanut ,ybe
il i. s,,r,ntiug van would find directly m
18th tha ...nro,t .,,en a small whit
,,,,sI,ro,,,, -.l,orad seed and in this lift
,,ar,,, i.s tbe lie IF the future tree sb,
,,i,, r.. ,,rs,,n. lilo she'll and tba she'll su
r',,,,,l.l IL, ,,o,,, inches of touph and IN,
,,lad ghr. bov il II IN work it's ,vnv on,
Forit = onnorertl,, nc soft and tander ne
! H.. L,,,d Gu those tiny, 6ne,ars beo,
- ,,,;,,,. III. ,,.o,, ont tbro,,,b the ays
tha, randin, ths tongb woody fibre II
ut ,,,r,.as itseIf IN The surfaca send,
I ~, lit ,,,,,,.ard 20 form tho troe a,
eight e.: '' years. " turn pay. se1a,, 2